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Alright, what did you think of this year in your home? Could it be described as truly wonderful as one might claim on online? Full of academic success for the kids and elaborate dress-up celebrations for the adults? Or perhaps it was a ocean of disappointment with only rare enjoyable highlights? Could any part be actually real, or are we all seven-fingered AI slop beings with perfect smiles?

I have gathered the family together, ready or not, to reflect on the paramount thing in any given year: what titles we played the most. Let's get started:

Title Eldest Daughter Played the Most

Just Dance 2024

"Can’t you pick just one?"

"It’s not my personal ranking."

Meanwhile, on mobile, her go-to has been Cityscapes and "attempting to locate decent healthcare."

"In the game?"

"In real life."

Title Middle Son Played the Most

Overwatch

"I have no interest in games on my phone." He took umbrage that I even asked. Fair enough.

Release Third Daughter Played the Most

Resident Evil Biohazard

She is trying to get into theatre school, but when she wasn’t singing, she was immersed in Resident Evil. She also spoke at length in great detail about her successes on The Sims, where her avatar has a thriving utopia with infinitely better healthcare than her big sister has outside the game.

Release the Spouse Played the Most

Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time

She began the year at 60% completion and ended it at 82%. It's a long haul not a sprint for her. On her phone: something called Woodle, where you have to remove pins.

Title I Found Amusing That My Kids for Still Playing

Minecraft

Whenever I see my adult son playing Minecraft, I give him a hard time like a cross between a classic comedy bit. When he complains, I reply that I am doing this to toughen him up so he can grow up and play games for grownups. It’s a very Scottish father/son relationship.

Most Impressive Gaming Family Member of the Year

Eldest Daughter on Just Dance 2024

There was no contest for this one. She is unstoppable. Even better than I was at Dancing Stage MegaMix in my prime.

Title I Played the Most

Marvel Snap

No other game compared to the hours I spent on this insanely well-crafted deck building competitive game, with its constantly evolving range of cards and game variations.

Game I Wish I Had Played Less

Marvel Snap

The downside about games that frequently update their range is you have a moment of clarity and realise it is all just an attempt to lure you into fomo-fuelled microtransactions. So affection became resentment halfway through the year and it got uninstalled.

Game I Wish I Had Played More

Doom: The Dark Ages

Stunning reinvention of a legendary franchise. Captivating atmosphere from the start. I wish I could dispatch my issues so effectively in real life.

Title I Wish I Had Played More (Puzzle-Focused Edition)

Blue Prince

I refuse to rush this beautiful, unique game and I just lacked the mental bandwidth to give it what it required earlier this year. With relatives staying over the festive period, I aim to experience this in the late night after evening drinks.

Title That Was a Lifesaver When I Needed It

Balatro

I know Balatro was last year's sleeper hit, but I was slow on the uptake. And it is incredible. It just gets each element right. The core concept is a wonderful concept, but the abilities behind the different joker cards are so creative it has become a game I literally would play any time. Combine that with the wittiness of the card design, and this is an absolute high-water mark of gaming. I dream of being stuck in a elevator for hours just so I have nothing to do but play it.

Game I Got the Most Flak For Criticising

Outer Worlds 2

I received a bit of backlash when I mentioned how a glitch in another game soured the experience for me, but that other title is still a gargantuan gaming achievement in terms of production values – which I valued even more after experiencing Outer Worlds 2. So thank you to the individual who took the time to contact me to say that my Outer Worlds 2 review was "poorly reasoned". I share that verbatim, because I acknowledge the engagement, and they are obviously an excellent judge of character.

Game Everybody Loved That I Just Didn’t Get

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Sure. Give me a punishingly tough Metroidvania-esque thing and leave me without guidance on what I am supposed to be doing, except "look around". How delightful. I get that it looks ace and is ideal if you are into challenging games, but I cannot think of a gaming experience I am less interested in in my mid-fifties. I was around back when many games were like this, and I'm over it. It was acceptable when I was a kid, but so was many outdated things.

Biggest Gaming Controversy of 2025

Debate between corporate partnerships that caused concern, and high launch costs. Both morally indefensible and repugnant.

Games I Would Name My Children After, Were I I Was Ever Crazy Enough to Have More

Clair Obscur, Despelote and Bananza would all sound good names bellowed from the back door at bedtime.

Part of My Body That Aches Most From Gaming

Right Thumb Joint. Seriously. I don’t know if it’s because of video games or endless scrolling, but it aches like hellfire in the mornings now. I knew I should have got my thumbs insured back in the past.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2026

Grand Theft Auto VI.
And it will come out in 2026, even if we have to wait patiently until the cows come home.

Game I Am Looking Forward to the Most in 2036

The Witcher 4.